Garment-clasp.



PATENTED MAY 5, 190s.

J. LEMAY. GARMENT CLASP. ArPLIoATIoN FILED 11.110,19. 1907.

JOSEPH LEMAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GARMENT-CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application'led December 19, 1907. Serial No. 407,187-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH LEMAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Garment- Clasps; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to garment clasps, and has for its object toso construct the clasp that there sh all be no binding-of the claspedfabric against a dead end or any unyielding surface, thereby reducing toa minimum the likelihood of tearing the fabric.

l/Vith these ends in view my invention consists in certain details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts, such as will be hereinafter fullydescribed and then particularly pointed out in the claims which concludethis application.

Referring to the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a view in elevationshowing my improved clasp with the loop element made from wire-Fig. 2 asimilar view showing the clasp made from sheet metalhFig. 3 a similarview showing the position of the parts when the fabric is clasped-Fig. 4a detail view of the loop made from sheet metal in a hollow form, andFig. 5 a section at the line x, of Fig. 4.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures ofthe drawing.

Heretofore devices of this description have comprised a button elementand a loop element large at the upper end to admit the button andcontracted at the lower end, which latter end is closed so as to afforda sort of abutment against which the fabric is clamped by the button,but in this construction the fabric will be bound in plaits or foldsfirmly against the lower end of the loop and frequently becomes out orworn through by the continued use of the clasp and it is the main objectof my improvement to overcome this defect.

I have ascertained that by leaving the lower end of the loop entirelyopen, the fabric will not only be held firmly and sufliciently for allpractical purposes by the side arms of the loop element, but will spreador Hfan out smoothly and in diverging lines,

and, since there is absolutely no contact at the open end or bottom ofsaid loop element there will be no bunching or folding of the fabric,and consequently no possibility of said fabric being cut or overdrawn atthat point.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, l is what I will term the loop element whichis made, in this instance, from wire, this loop being large at the top,as seen at 2, to admit-the button, andcontracted at the lower end, asseen at 3, the eXtreme lower ends of the wires being slightly diverged,for the purpose presently to be explained. The main webbing 4 is securedto an ordinary fixture 5, and to the lower end of the latter is securedthe button carrying tape 6, the eXtreme upper end of the wire loop beingpreferably secured tothe up-r per portion of this tape 6.

7 is any suitable button which is carried by the lower part of the tape6, the length of the latter being such that the button cannot pass outthrough the lower or open end of the loop.

Around the middle portion of the loop I preferably lace a metal band 8in order to old the si e members of the loop and make the lattersubstantially rigid.

In utilizing my improvement the fabric is placed over the button,inserted up through the wide portion 2 of the loop and then drawn downinto the contracted portion, and the fabric will lie smoothly andwithout folds or bunches and will fan out in diverging lines, as shownat Fig. 3.

The button head is preferably rotatably mounted on its shank so thatthere can be no grinding action against the fabric owing to themovements of the wearer, and the head of the button can be made of anymetal, plain or covered with cloth, plush or any suitable material, andthe button itself may be made in any approved form or shape and may besecured to the tape in any well known and ordinary manner. y

The loop may be made from sheet metal as shown at Fig. 2, in whichinstance the band 8` will of course be omitted, since the middle portionof the loop would be integral with the rest of the loop.

In order to give great strength and stiffness to the loop, the lattermay be made hollow as shown at Figs. 4 and 5, this bein accomplished inthe ordinary way in w ich hollow articles are formed from sheet metal.

I prefer to spread the lower ends of the loop so that they will diverge,since the fabric will lie more smoothly and will fan out, so to speak,without the presence of irregular plaits or bunches.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A garment @las comprising a button element and a. loop e ement largeenough etY the upper portion to admit the button, the lower end of theloop element being oontracted and open and having the mouth of theopening diverging.

2. A garment clasp comprising a webbing, a loo and button carrying tapelexibly seeure to said webbing, said loop being enlarged at its upperortion to admit the but- In testimony whereof I allxmy signature inpresence of two witnesses.

' JOSEPH LEMAY.

Witnesses:

F. W. SMITH, Jr., M. T. LONGDEN.

